It should come as no surprise that in the midst of a lousy economy, global chocolate sales have skyrocketed, as Chicago-based market intelligence firm Mintel recently found. Both China and Ukraine — countries not known for their heavy chocolate consumption, although sales have been rising steadily since 2005 — experienced double-digit increases in purchases of the confection last year, with further growth expected through 2013, while the United States, Great Britain, Argentina and Belgium all bought more chocolate as well.

“It’s clear that despite economic trouble this year, the world’s chocolate lovers didn’t deviate from their favorite treat,” said Mintel global food and drink analyst Marcia Mogelonsky. “Chocolate is a small, affordable indulgence for shoppers who are cutting back on spending elsewhere. Even in countries not known for chocolate consumption, sales are on the rise.”

Seeing consumers’ need to satisfy their collective sweet tooth, grocers should offer sweet relief in the form of increased product selection (including both value products gourmet items discerning shoppers can trade up to), eye-catching displays, and mouthwatering sampling sessions to introduce customers to such unusual combinations as chocolate and wasabi or curry. Offering recipes incorporating chocolate in fairly novel ways for U.S. consumers (turkey molé, anyone?) is also a good idea, since shoppers in search of food-related solace are no doubt spending more time eating at home and preparing their own meals.

The current chocolate boom also gives food retailers the opportunity to play up the treat’s nutritional benefits. While no one’s going to mistake a candy bar for health food any time soon, chocolate —particularly the dark varieties — is loaded with flavanols, which act as heart-disease-fighting antioxidants. Flavanols can also help lower blood pressure, promote healthy blood flow and balance certain hormones in the body. Consumers have no doubt heard something about the positive effects of chocolate, but why not provide them with the full picture? Doing so can help a much-needed indulgence during bad times metamorphose into a regular (but still delicious) way to maintain health, regardless of the state of the economy.

Such strategies may go a long way toward boosting annual spending on chocolate in the United States from its current average of $55 per consumer. That may sound like a lot, until you consider that the Swiss shell out a whopping $206 each — but then they’re famous for their chocolate confections. The trick is to encourage more Americans to develop their own chocolate habits, by positioning the product as a beneficial and relatively inexpensive way for consumers to pamper themselves.